False ego-sense or the knowledge "I-ness" is the primary concept,
which in turn is the mother of all other concepts. Our lives are full of concepts. If
we like particular concepts, we pass them on to others around us or ram them
down their throat. Our activities arising from the false concepts are also false. If
the cause (i.e., false ego or Haume) is wrong, then the effect must be automatically wrong
as well. What are these false concepts? There are many of them. However,
all of them are connected to the following three:

Identification with the physical body

Thinking that sense pleasures are the source of real happiness or eternal
peace

Believing that material wealth is the source of real security in life

The Gurbani indicates that our Mool (Source, Origin, Joti-svaroopa, etc.) is not this
physical body, and vice versa. Therefore, to take this material body as the
Mool or to identify with it is the gravest mistake we can commit. According
to the Gurbani, our chance of linking with the Mool within
depends on our True Identification. If we miss this point, that is, if
we blunder in recognizing our True Nature (as Joti-svaroopa), then we will be lost in the pitch
darkness of the material existence (Maya).

Even though we are something other than this material body, the majority of us
(over 99.9 percent) still identify ourselves with it. Why? The main
reason we identify ourselves with the physical body is our ignorance of the Mool. Accordingly, the Gurbani repeatedly reminds us that whosoever identifies
himself with this bundle of bones and flesh with nine holes called body is a "Saakat" who is devoid of all Virtues. Now the question arises: If we are not this body, then
who are we? What is our True Identification?

The Gurbani declares that we are the the part-and-parcel or Ansh
of the Divine Light (Joti-svaroopa). Our physical body is merely the
vesture (Cholaa) of this Divine Spark. That's all. After the
death of one's body, the Spirit Soul moves on.
Thus, like any other material object, our body is temporary, while our real Self
is Immortal (Amrit) oe Eternal. Therefore, this body is Asat or false
(impermanent), and our Mool is Sat or True (permanent).

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕੀ ਅੰਸੁ ॥: Kahu Kabeer ihu Raam kee ansu (sggs 871).

The ultimate goal, aim or purpose of human existence is to become linked to the Mool within. This is Self-realization. Once we Realize this Pure Awareness within, then we recognize that "He is
me, and I am He". The reminds us:

ਆਤਮ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਾਮ ਮਹਿ ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਸਿ ਗੁਰ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥: Aatam mahi Raam Raam mahi aatam cheenas Gur beechaaraa:
God is in the Soul, and the Soul is in God. This is realized through Reflecting (on the Teachings) of the Guru (1153).

ਤਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਬਾਈ ਸੋਹੰ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥: Tat niranjan joti sabaaee soham bhed na koee jeeo: The essence, the immaculate Lord, the Light of all — I am He and He is me — there is no difference (sggs 599).

Tat tvam asi: Thou art That (Sam Veda).

Prajnanam Brahma: Consciouness is God (Rig Veda).

Ayam Aatma Brahma: The Aatma Brahm (Atharva
Veda).

Aham Brahma Asmi: I am Brahm (Yajur veda).

Another false concept is the notion that more and more I gratify my senses for
attaining worldly pleasures, the more happy I will be. Not true at all, declare
the Gurbani. To the contrary, we are time and again reminded by the Gurbani
that it is the sense-pleasure that is responsible for our forgetfulness of the
Mool in the first place, which result in our sorrows and sufferings.

This leads to the question: Why do mortals then become attached to worldly pleasures
in the first place? The Gurbani explains us that it is the Maya, the Cosmic Charmer,
that allures us to enjoy the mundane objects in a futile effort of satisfying
the unceasing demands of our senses. A person under the influence of the
tripple-qualitied Maya becomes infected with the poison of lust, greed, anger,
attachment, false ego, enviousness, stubborn mindedness, and their numerous variation. Consequently,
the Jeeva (individual being) gets caught in the vicious cycle of repeated suffering.

The illusive Maya creates duality in our mind. Because of this pluralistic
phenomena of Maya-vision, every material Sukha or happiness appears to be
followed by Dukha or sorrow. If there is a laughter, there is a cry; if
there is a birth, there is a death; if there is a rich, there is a poor; so on
and so forth. As everything in the world is in the state of constant flux,
there can be found no permanent or everlasting happiness. This is the edict of
the Gurbani.

ਖਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਕਉੜੇ ਹੋਇ ਗਏ ਜਿਤੜੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਭੋਗ ॥: Khin mahi kaiourre hoi gae jitarre maya bhog:
In a moment, all pleasures of the material world (because of which the Lord was forgotten, even those) become bitter (sggs 135).

The real or eternal happiness comes from attaching our mind to the Shabad
or Naam (Shabad-Vichaar). Instead, due to our ignorance
of the Mool, we seek everlasting happiness in never lasting sense objects. If
we want True Joy, then, the Gurbani's advice is to get attached to the Divine
Name (Divine Knowledge, Aatam-Giaan). Without being connected to our Mool within, we can neither have
Transcendental Intelligence (Shudha Budhi) nor steady mind, without which
there is no possibility of Eternal Peace or Happiness.

Another false concept is the belief that material wealth is the source of real
security in one's life. This idea is totally fallacious, asserts the Gurbani. In
reality, this entire material world is false (temporary), what to speak of mortals
with finite life! How an impermanent thing can provide another impermanent
thing with a permanent security? Not possible at all.

Due to our body or material consciousness, we feel secure if we have money. On
the contrary, we feel insecure if we do not have money. Since the Mayaic mind (Manmukh: self-willed...) love
falsehood, this whole idea — that the material wealth is the real source of
security in material life — is fallacious.

Upon inquiry we find that the feeling of insecurity comes from the fear of the
unknown. Amassing of any amount of money can not remove this fear. To
the contrary, the more wealth one has, the more fear he has! With more wealth
comes the fear of losing it or someone stealing it. Therefore, the sense
of true security comes from not amassing money, but from the mental state of
fearlessness.

How can one become fearless? What is the source of this Divine State of
fearlessness? The Gurbani declares that the fearlessness is the Virtue
of a Gurmukh, a True Being who has Realized his Mool within. However, without
true humility, one can not be a Gurmukh; and without Spiritual Wisdom, one
cannot attain humility and Self-realization. What it means is that, in
order for one to be fearless, he must lift himself to the platform of Transcendental
Consciousness, the state of Spiritual Perfection.

Therefore, attaining true security is not in amassing material wealth, but
in becoming linked tp the Mool within. To put it otherwise, the true security
is the question of Higher Consciousness which is beyond any mundane wealth,
political power, scholarships, material education and social success.

The forgetfulness of our True Nature (Joti-Svaroop)
results in seeing diversity, which gives rise to mental concepts. Inasmuch
as man is already overwhelmed by countless false concepts, he keeps adding new
to the already existing ones! The object of teachings and instructions of all
world Masters and the scriptures is for the removal of these false worldly concepts.

The more we abandon our false concepts, the more we will become Awake and Aware;
consequently, the more we will Realize our Mool within. Accordingly, the Gurbani
challenges us for completely shedding all wrong concepts (Maya). The filth of
selfishness and falsehood does not stick to those who by the Divine Grace ever
remain Awake and Aware in Aatam-Giaan.
As the Divine Name (Giaan...) abides deep within the Heart; the individual light merges
into the Supreme Light.